Francisco Lindor

Lindor's glovework helped solidify a shaky left side of the infield upon his callup to the big leagues in early June, but that was never in question. It was his ability to handle himself at the plate ...

Cleveland chose to keep Lindor in the minor leagues for the entire 2014 season, despite a trade deadline deal that shipped Asdrubal Cabrera out of town. The move made sense, even if it may have disappointed baseball fans who have been waiting three-plus years to see the slick-fielding shortstop. Lindor has just 180 plate appearances at Triple-A under his belt, and his .273/.307/.388 slash line may look underwhelming. However, the “better in reality than fantasy” label that seems to stick to Lindor because of his elite defense does not do him justice. He hit 11 home runs with 28 steals in 126 games between Double-A and Triple-A, and he will debut in the big leagues this season as a 21-year-old. There is plenty of projection left in his bat, and his plus hit tool and speed combination should place him at the top of a big league lineup. He projects as an above-average offensive shortstop in his prime.

2014

Lindor had another fine season splitting time between High-A Carolina (.306/.373/.410 with 20 steals in 83 games) and Double-A Akron (.289/.407/.395 with five steals in 21 games) before having his season cut short with a back injury. His glove makes him a fantastic prospect and he's certainly got plenty of time to add some pop to his bat, but it remains to be seen how much of a fantasy impact he will have, at least in that facet of his game. A lot of his value figures to hinge on his speed and power upside. Lindor offers good, albeit not great, speed and instincts on the basepaths and his power might eventually develop, but it's possible that he will peak as a 10-homer, 20-steal player with excellent defense at a premium position, offering a bit more to the Tribe in real-life value than to fantasy owners with his rotisserie contributions.

2013

Lindor is easily the best prospect in the Indians organization and one of the top prospects in baseball, though much of his value comes from his work with the glove. He held his own at Low-A Lake County despite being just 18 years old. He's got a mature approach at the plate which might enable him to add some power to his game as he physically matures, but his bat may never be anything overly special. His ceiling may very well be that of a 10-homer, 15-steal guy at shortstop. Expect some growing pains at High-A Kinston this season.

2012

The Indians selected Lindor with the eighth overall pick in the 2011 draft, and he was limited to just five games in the New York-Penn League as a 17-year-old last summer. Despite his age, Lindor already ranks as the top prospect in Cleveland's system. The switch-hitting shortstop should be a steady contact hitter and eventually develop some pop, while his plus-arm should lead him to become an above-average defensive player down the road.